Process and apparatus for treating textile materials



June 27, 1939.

J. SCHLUMPF PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed June 6, 1956 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. SCHLUMPF 2,163,634

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS June 27, 1939.

Filed June 6; 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS Application June 6, 1936, Serial No. 83,833 In Switzerland June 8, 1935 8 Claims.

The present'invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for treating textile materials with fluids. The invention is particularly adapted for treating skeins, hanks, cakes or 5 other forms of packages of natural and artificial fibers with dyeing liquor or bleaching and other fluids.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide for a greater penetration of the treating 10 fluid into the textile or like material to attain a more complete and uniform treatment in less time and without deterioration of the material.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the uniform treatment of each package or 15 unit of material in a plurality of units under treatment and a uniform treatment of all the packages or units in each batch even though the individual packages may vary considerably physically in weight, shape, density, or in the porosity of the mass due to different characteristics of the wind.

Another object of the invention is to provide for ease of penetration of the treating fluid by afiording the masses in the packages or units no chance to compact, but on the other hand causing the individual strands to separate under the action of jets of the fluid impinging against the packages.

Another object of the inventionis to treat the material with jets of the fluid applied in such manner as to separate the individual yarn strands and also the fibers of the strands to cause a thorough penetration of the fluid thereinto.

Another object of the invention is to provide for immersing the material in a bath of the treating fluid while subjecting it to the action of the jets of fluid to cause easy access of the fluid to every part of the yarn mass as it is separated and opened by the jets and caused to float in the bath.

Another object of the invention is to alternately change the direction of the opposed jets of the treating fluid to cause the mass of material to be expanded or opened first in one direction and then in another direction to facilitate penetration of the fluid thereinto.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of apparatus for carrying out the several steps of the method.

- Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes the method and a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out the process, byway of example, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus showing the separate chambers for holding the material to be treated and the opposed apertures or nozzles in the walls thereof for introducing the treating fluid thereinto in jets;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus in section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of one of the chamber of the apparatus.

In accordance with the present method the material in the form of skeins, hanks, cakes or other types of packages is first placed in a suitable chamber. The chamber is then filled with the treating fluid. This fluid under pressure is then forced through oppositely-disposed apertures or nozzles in the walls of the chamber to cause jets of the fluid to impinge upon the material. Due to the force of the jets the individual strands of material in the mass are separated and the fibers of the strands opened which permits a thorough penetration of the fluid into the material and its ready access to every part of the individual strands. In accordance with a preferred practice the material is at all times immersed in a bath of fluid which is continuously circulated. As the strands of material are separated and their fibers opened by the jets they float in the bath insuring a complete penetration of the fiuidthroughout the mass and into each individual strand of yarn. The jets also cause a turbulence of the bath fluid so that it traverses the entire yarn mass and reaches every part of the individual strands. Preferably, separate sets of oppositely-directed jets are alternately employed to cause a pulsating action on the material to further accelerate the penetration of the fluid thereinto.

Referring to the present drawings, a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out the above method is herein illustrated as comprising a vessel or vat I having a port 2 at its bottom to which the discharge end of a rotary or other type of pump 3 is attached. The intake to the pump 3 is connected to an opening in the side of the vat l by a conduit 5 so that the pump may be operated to maintain a circulation of the treating fluid in the vat. Within the vat is a slightly smaller tank 6 having-a false bottom or division wall l0 forming a chamber 1 into which the fluid is fed by the pump 3. Above the wall I0 is a horizontal wall 36 forming therewith a compartment [5 and within this chamber is a relatively flat walled compartment l9 constituted as a operate withthe ports I2, I3 and I4,being carried by'a rod 9 which passes through the side wall of the vat I to permit the valve to be manually operated to selectively open and close the ports from the outside of the vat in the manner as later explained.

A series. of vertically-walled channels 2I, 22, 23

and 24 are arranged in parallel relationship in the tank 6 above the horizontal wall36, thus dividing the tank into compartments 3|, 32 and 33 for holding the material to be treated. The walled channels 2|, 22, 23 and 24 are connected to the manifold I9 by couplings 38 which extend through the horizontal wall 36 and form conduits 2Il;see

Figs. 2 and 4, through which the treatingfluid is- The walls 30 of the.

introduced in the channels. channels 2|, 22, 23 and 24 which form the opposite sides of each compartment3l, 32 and 33 are perforated to form relatively small nozzles forv spurting jets of the fluid into the compartments. The walls of the tank 6 at the ends of the compartments have slotted openings as at M to per- -mit the fluid to discharge into the vat I and, preferably, the compartments are divided by inwardly-extending flanges 38f on the side walls 30 in the nature of baflies.

The compartments 3|, 32 and 33 are closed at the top by a removable lid 31 which, together with a cover for the top of the tank 6, form an upper chamber I8. Treating fluid is introduced into the chamber I8 from the compartment I through vertical conduits I6 and I1. The portions of the wall 36 below and the lid 31 above the compartments 3|, 32 and 33 are'also perforated to form nozzles similar to those in the opposite walls 30 of the compartments. A perforated distributing pipe 35 is provided in each compartment 3I, 32 and 33 extending horizontally throughout the, length of the tank. The pipes 35 have elbows at their opposite ends with vertical branches connected thereto and extending downwardly into communication with the com: partment I5 through the bottom wall 36 to which they are attached. One practical form of the apparatus having now been described, the preferred manner in which it is operated to practice the method will be next explained.

The textile material to be treated in the form of skeins, hanks, cakes or other types of packages of natural or artificial fibers and other varieties of yarn or the like are placed in the chambers 3i,

32 and 33, the material being loosely packed around or suspended on the pipes 35 so'that it may be expanded by jets of the fluid under pressure. The treating fluid is then introduced into the vat I in a quantity sumcient to wholly immerse the material contained in the chambers.

The fluid may be caused to flow through the intake pipe 5 to the pump 3 which'delivers it under pressure into the chamber I and forces it through the port I3 into the distributing manifold III. The fluid is thus caused to enter the vertical channels 2|, 22, 23 and 24 and, being under pressure, it is discharged in a multiplicity of jets which spurt through the perforations or nozzles in the walls 30 into the compartments 3|, 32 and 33. The fluid is discharged or exhausted from the compartments 3|, 32 and 33 through the slotted openings H at the ends of the tank 6,

being collected in the space between the vat l and tank 6 and returned to the pump 3 through the conduit 5. By adjusting the valve-slide 8 the fluid may be introduced through the ports I2 and I4 into the chamber I5 and thence through the perforations or nozzles in the bottom wall 36, the

lid 3'! and the pipes 35 to cause it to enter the compartments 3|, 32 and 33. Preferably, the. fluid is caused to flow alternately through the side walls 30 and then through the bottom wall '36, lid 3I;and ,pipes 35, but the slide valve 8 may 1 alsoibe so set as to cause the fluid .to be forced simultaneously through the side walls 30, the bottom and top walls 36 and 31 and the pipes 35.

The 'fluid.bein'g under pressure, is introduced through the apertures or nozzles in the opposite walls 30, the pipes 35, bottom wall 36 and lid 31 inthe form of high velocity jets. The jets impingeagainst the masses of material in a manner to' separate and spread open the individual yarn strands which float in-the bath of the fluid,

thus givingeasy access for the fluid to penetrate every part of the material. It will be understood that the. nozzles emit jetsof the treating fluid into the main body of the bath the jets being submerged. The high velocitystreams flow through the relatively static body of the bath fluid and impinge upon the textile packages or other masses of material. The density of the yarn allowing'of a partial freedom from the action of gravity,: when immersed inthe treating bath, the jets are able to counteract completely the action of gravity and in impinging upon the strands cause them to float freely in the main body of the bath; The strands actually move toward the jets and in so doing open-the mass of each package instead of compressing and compacting the packages as might be expected. The jets of fluid traverse the material being treated and set up eddy currents within the bath-in the compartments while the individual strands of the textile material are separated and opened'so that complete immersion of and penetration by the fluid into the-material is assured. By manually actuating the valve 8 the direction of the jets may be altered so that they first spurt from the opposite sidewalls 30 and then-from the bottom and top walls 36 and 31 and the pipes to induce pulsations which .further cause the material to be agitated to facilitate the penetration of the treating fluid thereinto.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the invention provides a novel and improved method for causing complete penetration of a. treating fluid into the mass of material being processed by separating the individual yarn strands and also the fibers thereof and continuously agitating the mass without mechanical agitation, Further, it will be observed that the present method provides for treating the material more rapidly and uniformly due to the opening up of the mass and the immersion of its strands in the bath of the agitated treating fluid.

While the apparatus for carrying out the invention is herein shown as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the structure and the arrangement thereof without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, withoutlimiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. A method of treating textile and like materials with fluids which comprises immersing the material in the treating fluid so that it is free impingment by opposite jets of the fluid directed toward each other to separate and open the individual strands whereby to cause penetration'of the fluid thereinto.

2. A method of treating textile and like materials with fluids which comprises immersing the material in a bath of the treating fluid so that it is free to float therein and alternately subjecting it to simultaneous impingement by opposite jets of the fluid first in one direction and then in another direction to cause separation of the individual strands whereby to permit the treating fluid to penetrate thereinto.

3. In an apparatus for treating textile and like materials with fluids, a vat, a tank within the vat, channels in the tank dividing it into separate compartments, a chamber communicating with the top and bottom walls of the compartments,-

nozzles in the walls of the channels and top and bottom walls of the compartments for directing I jets of the treating fluid into the compartments and against the material contained therein, and valve-means for controlling the flow of the treat.- ing fluid to either the channels or to the chamber communicating with the top and bottom walls of the compartments. Y

4. In an apparatus for treating textile and like materials with fluids, a vat, a tank within the vat, a valve-compartment outside the tank, hollow partitions within the tank dividing it into separate compartments, a distributing pipe extending through each compartment, a chamber communicating with the distributing pipes and top and bottom walls of the the compartments, nozzles in the walls of the hollow partitions and the distributing pipes and top and bottom walls of the compartments for directing jets of treating fluid into the compartments and against the material contained therein, and means in the valve-compartment for directing the fluid to either the hollow partitions or the chamber communicating with the distributing pipes and top and bottom walls.

5. In an apparatus for treating textile and like materials with fluids, the combination of a tank divided into a plurality of closed compartments having nozzles in their walls, distributing pipes extending through the compartments and provided with nozzles in their sides, and means to force the treating fluid through the nozzles in the walls of the compartments and the distributing pipes to cause jets of.the fluid to impinge upon the material contained in the compartments,

6. In an apparatus for treating textile materials with fluids, the combination of a closed compartment with nozzles in its walls, a distributing pipe extending through the compartment and provided with nozzles in its sides, and means to force the treating fluid through the nozzles in the.

walls of the compartment and distributing pipe to cause jets of the'fluid to impinge upon the material contained in the compartment.

7. In an apparatus for treating textile and like materials with-fluids, the combination of a closed compartment for holding the material to be treated, said compartment having nozzles in its walls, a distributing pipe extending through the compartment and provided with nozzles in its sides, means to force the treating fluid through the nozzles in one pairof opposite walls of the compartment and the distributing pipe to cause oppositely-directed jets of the fluid to impinge upon the material in the compartment, and means for changing the flow of the treating fluid to cause it to flow through the nozzles in another pair of opposite walls of the chamber.

,-a. A method of treating textile and like mate-- rials with fluids which comprises immersing the material in a bath of the treating fluid so that it is -free to float therein and subjecting it to the simultaneous impingement of opposite jets of the fluid at the inside vand outside of the. mass of material directed toward each other to separate and open the parts thereof to cause thorough penetration of the fluid into .the material."

. JAKOB SCI-ILUMPF. 

